Second Verse
by Ihket
Summary: Missing scene and epilogue for the episoode "Second Chance."


#  Second verse…Same as the first.

#  By Ihket

Missing Scene and Epilogue for Second Chance.   
Rated PG-13. Language, Implied Violence the usual.   
Summary: Jim tells Blair "You'll get over it." He just doesn't say how long that will take.   
General Disclaimer: I own them. What? You don't know me, I could be Pet Fly and the Sci-Fi Channel. I could be them. I COULD BE THEM! *Ahem* Sorry, a little Lash moment for levity. Okay, fine I DO NOT OWN JIM OR BLAIR. Happy? I do have joint custody of Simon though…….. 

Special thanks to Gina, my beautiful and talented beta. Thanks to Kira for suggesting I write a missing scene to Second Chance. To Gina, again for being my best friend and sister in everything but blood. Love you, my friend.   
Spoilers for "Second Chance" and "Love and Guns."   
This story is considered AU simply to the extent that in the context of this tale "Fool Me Twice" will NEVER happen.   


Chapter one. 

Blair Sandburg was feeling pretty short on knowledge, as he lay prone on the deck of the boat. In fact he could honestly claim to know only three things. One he was cold, two it was raining and three he had the mother of all headaches. That was the beginning middle and end of his world and it was fairly well pissing him off. 

A broader spectrum of awareness had begun to creep up on him as his body reacted to the cold rain that was slowly soaking through his clothing. Each shiver punctuated the throbbing that began in his left temple and traveled a grinding course throughout the rest of his head. His brain had managed to form a coherent command through the agony within his skull, he had to get out of the rain. With a monumental effort he forced his eyes open and pushed himself to his knees. He sat panting for a moment as the world around him folded and twirled with dizzying speed. "Bad Idea." He mumbled as he fell face first onto the deck oblivious to the arm that wrapped around his chest and saved him a broken nose. 

"Easy there, Chief." Jim said as he gently lowered his partner to the deck and carefully rolled him onto his back. He winced in sympathy as he checked out the long bloody gash just above his friend's left eye. He had only the time to make sure Blair was alive when he rushed through earlier chasing after Rivero, now he allowed himself to relax slightly as he confirmed that Blair's heartbeat was strong and his breathing was normal. In the distance he heard the wail of approaching sirens. The cavalry had arrived. "Better late than never, huh Chief?" 

"A day late and a dollar short." Blair mumbled in response, cracking open one eye to look at his friend. "You okay?" 

"I'm not the one flat on his back, Sandburg." Jim answered with mock gruffness. "What have I told you about sleeping on the Job?" 

"Talk to the guy who pistol whipped me." Blair closed his eyes again and let out a small groan as he tried to sit up. "Oh man, I wish the world would stop moving." 

"Take it easy, Buddy." The Sentinel helped the younger man into a sitting position, keeping one arm around Blair's shoulders as his partner leaned against his chest. "You doin' okay?" 

Blair nodded and regretted it as the pain in his head flared again. "Maybe." He swallowed convulsively, willing away the nausea that was pounding away at his stomach. Throwing up on Jim was pretty low on the list of things he wanted to do at that moment. He became aware that the older man was still holding him pretty close and had started rubbing his arm. While Blair appreciated the comforting gesture, his muddled brain concluded that this behavior was somewhat out of character for Jim. "Uh, Jim I think I can get up now. Uh you wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea." He joked weakly. 

Jim only tightened his hold on the younger man. "Indulge me, Chief." He said gently. "Finding you bloody and unconscious after you were taken hostage didn't do wonders for my nerves. Let me just be glad that you're okay for a minute and then we can go back to being macho hard ass men." 

Blair looked up at the detective, wondering if he weren't the only one who'd sustained a blow to the head. He saw the seriousness in Jim's eyes and decided to let the matter drop. "Okay, Jim." 

Several minutes later, the area was crawling with officers and paramedics. Jim surrendered his partner to the care of a team they both knew personally and went to help with the clean up of the scene. Three hours later he and Blair were finally home. 

"I think we'll order out." Jim said as he hung his sodden coat on the wall peg. "You feel up to Chinese?" 

"Yeah sure, Jim." Blair sighed. "Look man I'm just going to take a shower." 

"Okay, Chief." Jim tried inconspicuously to study his partner, not that he thought Blair would be oblivious to the fact that he was worried as hell about him, but the attempt at nonchalance made Jim feel better. He had noticed that Blair had been favoring his upper right side and wondered if his friend hadn't taken a body shot as well. 

"I'll be out in a few minutes, you look like you could use a shower too." Blair favored Jim with a cheeky grin and headed toward the bathroom. Once the door was closed he sagged against the wall. He was beyond tired, his body hurt, his head hurt and the rope burns around his wrists were painful in their own special way. It bothered Blair that he could tell the difference between rope burn and rug burn. He'd had enough experience with both, oddly he was proud of neither. He gingerly undressed and studied the spectacular bruise forming along his ribcage, it was almost as impressive as the bruise taking over the left side of his head. "God, I've had a shit day" he thought morosely. All he really wanted was to take a shower, down about forty-six ibuprofen and sleep until Thanksgiving. He knew he would get the shower and three ibuprofen, the sleeping part was anyone's guess. 

In the living room Jim paced angrily, trying to gain control over the rage that had been building within since he found out Maya had been involved in the scam from the beginning. "How dare she do that? How dare they let her go! She was responsible for the deaths of two good cops!" He seethed to himself. This was not going to happen, Maya Curasco had proven to him that the apple does not fall far from the tree and she deserved to be held responsible for her crimes. Jim picked up the phone and dialed. "Beverly? Sorry to wake you but I need a favor." 

Chapter two. 

Blair tossed restlessly in his sleep, occassionally a soft cry of distress broke the silence of the loft. Outside his bedroom door Jim listened, the need to protect, to comfort was overwhelming him. Nightmares were nothing new to the walls of the loft, they had been a pretty regular occourance even before Blair had moved in. The only difference was now two voices cried in the darkness. 

"Why?" 

The question was voiced with such anguish and raw hurt that Jim could no longer stand it and he opened the door, stopping in the doorway for a moment and studying the face of his sleeping guide. It angered him, Blair needed a kind sleep and he was being denied it because of the thoughtless actions of one woman. One woman who had managed to hurt Blair in ways a person should never know not once, but twice. In that instant he understood the emotion that had been clawing at him after witnessing his injured partner comfort her before she had been led away. He hated her. He had told Blair he would get over it. Blair might, Jim doubted he ever would. 

Blair turned violently to his right side and cried out again, this time his voice was full of pain. Jim was at his side before he was aware he'd moved. He lay a hand on his partner's shoulder and gently tried to rouse the younger man. The reaction he received was shocking, Blair grabbed him by the collar as his eyes shot open "You had no right!" he shouted as he shook Jim. "You had no right!" 

"Blair!" Jim grabbed the younger man's hands to still him. He looked into Blair's eyes and knew his partner was still caught up in his nightmare. "Wake up, Chief!" 

Blair relaxed turning pain filled eyes to his companion. "I'm sorry I lied to you," he whispered brokenly, "but you had no right to do this to me." He lay back on his bed and turned his back to Jim, unaware it was Jim he had spoken to. 

Jim sat in silence for several minutes staring at his partners sleeping form. He rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry she got to you again." He whispered as he stood, giving one more look to his guide he took up his position outside the door once again. 

Morning sunlight filtered through his one window and warmed Blair's face, he shifted fitfully under his blanket and let out a quiet groan as his bruised side protested. He was fully awake now and none too happy about it. "Damnit!" he muttered under his breath and pressed his face into his pillow, not only did his ribs hurt but his head felt like it was going to come right off his neck and at that moment he found himself wishing it would. He levered himself out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweat pants, Blair could hear Jim working in the kitchen and smiled to himself. There were certain constants in the universe and one of them was that the morning after a truly bad day Jim Ellison would make Blair Sandburg breakfast. "Thanks Jim." He said softly as he made his way to the bathroom. 

In the kitchen Jim smiled as he sliced a pear, "Your welcome." 

The shrill ringing of the phone interrupted Jim's thoughts. "Ellison!" 

"Do you know how I spent my evening, night and morning?" Simon's gruff voice filtered over the line. 

Jim couldn't help but smile. "I take it the real Fed's were not happy about 'Uncle Gustavo's' disappearing act?" 

"You have a talent for understatement, Jim." Simon huffed. "And stop grinning like an idiot!" 

"Developing a little extra sensory awareness of your own, Simon?" 

"Shut up Jim, I am not the Captain you want to piss off this morning." Jim could almost see his captain rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Look I called for two reasons. First off how is the kid?" 

"Sore." Jim answered honestly. "He had a rough night." 

"I'm not surprised. Look Jim I need both you and Blair to come to the station and give statements. I know you gave brief statements last night, but the situation has changed. The DA is going after Maya as well, not that I find that surprising but we need Blair's statement especially. It would seem that Maya all but confessed to him and Beverly wants to see him A.S.A.P." 

"Okay Simon." 

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "I at least expected some kind of argument about how the kid needed to take it easy." 

"He does, but…" Jim hesitated. "I called Beverly last night Simon. I am the one who asked her to personally take the case. I knew she'd go after Maya as well." 

"Jesus Jim! Why?" 

"Two cops are dead because of her! Blair was kidnapped and almost killed because of her! She staged her own kidnapping and mugging!" Jim snapped. "Why the hell SHOULDN'T she be prosecuted?" 

"They're charging Maya?" Blair's voice caught Jim off guard. 

"Shit!" Jim muttered. "Look Simon, I have to go. We'll be at the DA's office in an hour." 

"You didn't discuss this with him did you?" 

"Got it in one, Simon." Jim hung up the phone and prepared himself to face a very angry Sandburg. 

"Jim, they're charging Maya?" Blair stepped closer as Jim turned to face him. 

"Yes." 

"Because you called Beverly?" 

"Probably yes." Jim studied his partner's face looking for the anger he was sure would be there, but Blair had placed an unreadable mask upon his features. 

"Tell me why?" Blair's voice was controlled, even and gave away no emotion. "The real reasons. Tell me why?" 

The Sentinel was unnerved by this version of his guide. Jim had expected Blair to be furious, he knew how much the younger man cared about Maya. He had not expected Blair to be calm to the point of coldness. "She deserves to be held accountable for her crimes." 

"You're right. She does." He turned back toward his room. "I'll get dressed and we'll go talk to Beverly." 

Jim watched the retreating back of his partner in stunned silence. Blair's response set off every warning bell he had, this was wrong, desperately wrong. 

Chapter Three. 

"Thank you for coming." Beverly Sanchez motioned for the two men to sit down frowning at Blair with concern. "How are you feeling, Blair?" 

"I've been better." he answered flatly. "Could we just forgo the niceties and get on with this. I really am not feeling very well." 

"Of Course." She sat opposite the conference table from her witness. "Blair I want you to tell me what happened from the time you left the Andes Café." 

Blair shifted in his chair and leaned forward placing his arms on the table. "I was upset about Gustavo telling us that Maya helped orchestrate the kidnapping and I needed a little space so I walked over to the truck. I wasn't paying attention when Rivero's car drove up, he and his goons got out and put a gun in my face. I don't remember much of what was said, I was very focused on the gun. Next thing I know, I am in a car with a gun to my ribs driving away. I tried talking to Francisco, telling him it wasn't going to work, all I got for my trouble was my head slammed into the door frame after he told one of his goons to shut me up." Jim winced, he hadn't known about that. He stared at his partner as he continued with his dispassionate recount of events " I don't remember anything until I came to in the engine room of his boat. Not too long after Maya came down with some water. I told her I knew about her and Francisco, she didn't bother denying it, she just said that as soon as they got the codes Francisco would let me go. I told her I seriously doubted that. I told her he would kill me, her too, like he killed the officers at the safe house. She accused me of lying to her and stormed out of the engine room." Blair paused and for the first time since he'd found Blair on the deck of the boat, Jim saw some emotion in the younger man's face. Blair was angry and his voice shook as he continued. "She came back a little while later, told me I was right about Francisco and untied me. When we got up on deck Rivero was there with a gun and he took Maya and Left one of his men to guard me. The guy holding the gun was distracted by a gunshot and I tried to get the gun, I know it was stupid, but at the time…anyway it didn't work. The guy hit me in the ribs and then hit me in the head with the butt of his gun. I don't remember anything else until I came to on the deck." 

"Did Maya tell you directly that she was involved in the kidnapping scheme?" Sanchez asked. 

"When I told her I knew, she said Look everything is gonna be alright. As soon as Francisco gets the codes, he'll let you go. I would say that makes the answer yes." Blair's jaw clenched. "She knew what was going on and she was involved." 

Beverly clarified a few more details and an hour later they were on their way back to the station. The stony silence that had permeated the truck on the way to the DA's office was still in full force. Jim decided that it was time to end it. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

Blair let out a short humorless laugh. "What's there to talk about? How I let my self get kidnapped? How Maya managed to shred my heart for the second time in less than a year? How about we talk about the fact that she was perfectly content with my being a hostage? Or maybe we can talk about how she could think I would make up the deaths of two police officers?" Jim had pulled over to this side of the road as Blair continued to vent his anger. "Let's talk about how Miss Holier than thou, had no reservations what so ever about breaking the law in a dozen different ways just to get her hands on Daddy's money! How she had no problem LYING to me and to you and EVERYONE else, but GOD FORBID someone lies to her!" Blair was shouting now. "How dare she? HOW FUCKING DARE SHE?" He punctuated every last word by driving his fist into the door of the truck. 

"Chief! Chief!" Jim tried to keep the younger man from breaking his hand. "Blair!" 

"WHAT!" Blair turned on him. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WANTED TO TALK!" With that he threw open the door to the truck and started running. 

Jim sat in the truck, shocked at the extent of his friend's anger, for a moment before getting out himself and giving chase to his fleeing partner. He was within an arms length when Blair stumbled on some loose gravel on the side of the road. Jim reached out in a desperate attempt to grab the younger man but came up with only air and watched helplessly as Blair tumbled down the steep embankment coming to rest on the side of the road below. "Sandburg!" Jim shouted as he frantically slid down the slope after his partner. "Blair!" He dropped to his knees beside his guide. Blair was shaking violently, his bloodied fingers clawing weakly at the gravel beside him. His breath was coming in harsh grunting gasps as he turned his head to Jim. The Sentinel almost lost himself in the myriad of bloody scrapes covering Blair's face and the wide disbelieving eyes meeting his own. 

"I fell." The younger man whispered as his eyes rolled back in his head and his body stilled. 

Jim pulled his cell phone from his pocket with one hand while checking his partner's pulse with the other. Finding what he needed to find, that Blair was indeed alive, he placed his call to 911. 

Chapter Four. 

Jim hated the ER waiting room. It was too noisy, too crowded and he spent too much time in it. This particular trip he'd been waiting for almost three hours. Jim stood up to pace again, wondering how Blair was, worrying about Blair's condition, stressing about Blair's anger and generally being miserable. 

He was so focused on his overall misery he didn't hear the doctor call for him. Jim was startled when Dr Sayer placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"Jim?" Her face was lined with concern. 

"I'm sorry, doctor." Jim's voice was rough. "How is he?" 

"He is going to be fine." She smiled at him. "But he's going to be staying with us for a few days. Let's sit down." 

Jim dutifully followed the older woman to a relatively deserted part of the waiting room. "How bad?" 

"Not great." She answered honestly. "He's taken three pretty serious blows to the head in twenty four hours. He should have come in last night for the first two, but I know he refused. He has a serious concussion. He will recover and there is no sign of neurological damage, he's been conscious and coherent, but I have to tell you Jim that's simply by the grace of God. There are only so many times you can bounce your brain around the inside of your skull before you really damage something. His head trauma is my main concern right now, the rest of him is pretty much a mess of bruises and scrapes. He's torn up the tendons in his right knee and badly sprained that ankle as well. I've called down an orthopedic surgeon to consult, but I hope surgery won't be necessary." 

"Jesus." Jim swore. 

Dr Sayer nodded. "It's pretty bad, he's going to be in a great deal of pain for a while, he won't be able to move around well for a month or so. It's not going to be pleasant for him especially for the first few weeks. I know how he hates to be dependent but he will be for a while. The good news is he's avoided serious back and neck injuries. Everything will heal, but it's going to be a while and it's going to be very difficult for him while it does." 

"How long will he have to stay?" 

"At least three days, longer if he needs surgery on his knee." 

Jim rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily. "He won't be happy about it." 

"He's already expressed his displeasure." Dr. Sayer chuckled. "But the pain he's feeling tempered his protests a little. He said something about not biting the hand that gives him the good drugs." 

Jim smiled slightly. "When can I see him?" 

"Room 504. He wants to see you too, said you wouldn't listen to me if I told you to go home, so he'd better do it himself." She smiled at him as she directed him to the elevator. "Go see him and then go home. You look like hell Detective." 

"Thank you." 

The older woman gave him a gentle shove toward the elevator. "You're welcome. Now go! I don't want to find you up there when I do my rounds!" 

Chapter Five. 

Jim stood at the door to his partner's hospital room, watching the still figure on the bed. 

"You can come in you know. I won't bite." Blair's weary voice rose to meet his ears. 

"I thought you were sleeping." Jim crossed to the chair beside Blair's bed and sat down. 

"Can't seem to get there you know?" he favored the Sentinel with a shaky smile. "I'm sorry about loosing it-." 

"You have nothing to apologize for, Chief. I don't blame you for being angry." 

"Angry doesn't come close, Jim." Blair sighed and winced as his ribs protested. "Neither do furious, livid or enraged. I don't know how to deal with this." 

"Time." 

"Not what I want to hear big guy." He frowned. "I don't want to feel this way, I want it fixed now!" 

"Easy there, Chief." Jim captured his partner's hand. "I know that. I wish I could make it better, but the only thing that will is time. I'm beyond angry myself. I thought getting Beverly to nail Maya would make me feel better, but I don't. None of that changes what she did, it still happened and we still have to deal with it. I am just so damn sorry about all of this I can't begin to tell you." 

"You didn't do anything wrong, Jim." 

"There were several things I could have handled better, but that's not the point. I am sorry because it happened. I'm sorry about this." He gestured around the hospital room. "I am sorry I pushed you." 

"This is so not your fault Jim." Blair interrupted. "He'll I don't even think I can blame my self for this one. I slipped, I fell. Shit happens, another punchline to the great cosmic joke." 

"You're handling this well." 

Blair shook his head. "Not really, I'm screaming on the inside, I just don't have the energy to scream on the outside as well." 

"Get some sleep, Chief." Jim pulled his chair closer to the bed. "I'm here if you need me." 

"I was all set to tell you to go home, but…I really need you to stay." 

"Then I'll stay." 

Blair's eyes filled. "Woah, emotions are way to close to the surface right now!" he said as he wiped away the tears that insisted on falling. 

"It's okay." Jim said gently. 

"Thanks. I am going to apologize in advance for the next few weeks. I don't plan on being a complete bastard, but I think it's inevitable that I am going to have some real bad days." He looked at Jim. "This really sucks." 

"Well said." He chuckled. "You're forgiven in advance, now get some sleep." 

Blair needed no more convincing as his eyes drifted shut and Jim listened as his breathing evened out into the soothing rhythm of sleep. 

Chapter Six 

"SHE WANTS TO WHAT?" Jim roared across the desk to his captain. "For-fucking-get it, Simon. There is no way I am letting that walking disaster anywhere near my partner again! Don't you think she's already done enough damage?" 

Simon listened patiently as Jim ranted, wondering if the detective was going to leave a fist sized impression on the top of his desk. "Jim." He said calmly. "I understand your reservations, but don't you think it should be Blair's decision?" 

"No." Jim said sullenly. 

"Jim." 

"What do you want me to say?" Jim stood and started pacing. "Blair's only been out of the hospital a week, he's still not very mobile-." 

"Bullshit Ellison, even on the crutches the kid can out maneuver both of us." The police Captain countered. 

"If you're going to play 'Devil's Advocate' why'd you ask me in the first place?" Jim fumed. 

Simon stood up and crossed to his subordinate. "I don't recall asking you, detective. I was giving you a heads up, letting you know what she wanted before I called your partner!" He was now nose to nose with the Sentinel. "Blair is an adult, Blair is capable of making his own decisions and quite frankly trying to protect him now is a little late don't you think?" 

"That's nor fair, Simon." Jim ground out through clenched teeth, his anger fully evident. 

"It's perfectly fair!" Simon snapped. "You were the one who got the kid involved with her in the first place, you do remember that don't you? Asking the OBSERVER to play nice with the gun runners daughter so we could get information?" 

A quiet rage was building in Jim's eyes as he answered his boss's accusation. "I remember it quite well, and I don't seem to recall your strenuous objections at the time!" 

"You're right, Jim, I didn't object. That does not make what WE did right! Not only did the kid get pummeled, but he got his heart stomped on as well. We never should have put him in that position, he wasn't prepared for it and he certainly wasn't trained for it!" Simon shouted. "The difference between you and I is that I know I fucked up, do you?" 

"With all due respect sir, I don't have to answer that!" Jim took a step toward the door. 

"I don't recall dismissing you detective." Jim stopped with his back to Simon. "Blair will decide if he wants to see Miss Curasco is that clear?" 

"Yes sir!" The Sentinel hissed. "Can I go now?" 

"Don't slam the door." Simon watched as his best detective calmly closed the door and then he sank down in his chair, muttering to himself, "That could have gone better." 

Chapter Seven. 

"You sure you want to do this, Chief?" Jim asked as they pulled into the parking garage. 

Blair sighed and pulled at the corner of his red flannel shirt. "Not really, but I need to, I think." 

"Just say the word and we'll go home." 

"Oh no," Blair grinned, "you are not getting out of apologizing to Simon that easily. Either way, Jim, we're here and you have a bridge to rebuild." 

"Damnit!" Jim grumbled. "Still you don't have to do this." 

"Yeah I do. I have to for me more than anything." He smiled slightly, "You were right about time though, I'm still angry and hurt but I'm no longer wishing she ends up with a very lonely cellmate named Big Bertha." 

Jim laughed, "That's progress!" He gave his partner's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Okay, let's go and when we're done how about Pizza?" 

"Works for me." 

Jim stood behind his partner as he stopped infront of the interrogation room. "Are you sure you want to do this?" 

Blair nodded. "Yeah." 

"I'll be right here if you need me." 

"You gonna listen?" Blair saw his sentinel wince. "No, I didn't mean that I thought you would, I um it's okay if you do." 

Jim forced a smile, "If you start yelling half the department's gonna hear." 

"I'm not going to yell…I don't think I will anyway." Blair paused. "Look I'm gonna go in now. You can stay or you can go talk to Simon. I'll be okay." 

"Alright, Chief." Jim watched his partner go. "Simon can wait." He whispered. 

Chapter Eight. 

"I didn't know if you'd come." Maya said softly. 

Blair stood across the room from her, leaning against the wall with his arms folded; he faced Maya with a cool stare. "I'm not sure why I did." 

"You're angry." Her lightly accented voice was full of hurt. 

"Can you blame me?" Blair stayed in place, merely raising an eyebrow in question. 

"Then you can never forgive me?" 

"Probably not." He said coolly. "You did more than lie to me, you let Francisco keep me hostage, you not only endangered my life, but also the lives of your uncle and MY partner. You were indirectly responsible for the deaths of two police officers, two men who were PROTECTING you! You shouldn't be asking my forgiveness, you should be BEGGING the wives and children of those men to forgive you!" 

"Aye Blair, I didn't know!" Her eyes filled with tears. 

"It doesn't matter if you knew Francisco would kill them. You were still responsible, you staged all of it from the beginning. You knew what you were doing, you knew it was wrong and you did it anyway!" Blair hissed. "Two good Cops are dead along with too many others because you wanted your fathers money!" 

"I wanted to give that money back to the people!" Maya shouted angrily. 

"I don't care!" Blair shouted back. "It was blood money to begin with and you just, God Maya you don't even see it do you? All you did was add more blood!" 

"I didn't know." She sobbed brokenly. 

"I somehow doubt that." 

Maya's head shot up and the brown eyes that had moments ago been so vulnerable and full of sorrow hardened. "You think I am lying?" 

"It wouldn't be the first time." Blair's voice had a hard edge to it. 

The Hispanic woman stared at him for a minute before the corners of her mouth twitched upward in a feral grin. "Soy hija de mi papa." 

"Una serpiente en la hierba." Blair whispered as he turned and left the room. 

On the other side of the glass Simon looked at Jim and asked. "What did they say?" 

Jim sighed heavily. "Maya said 'I am my fathers daughter' and Blair agreed with her. He called her 'a serpent in the grass'." 

Epilogue. 

Jim set down the morning paper and glanced toward the balcony where his partner stood looking out over the harbor. He felt for the younger man, the last weeks had been difficult for Blair. He had testified at both trials and the process had been exhausting. Both Francisco and Maya had been found guilty on all charges. Jim couldn't help but feel some satisfaction in the verdicts, but he knew it had been harder for Blair to reconcile his past feelings for the woman to his desire to see her held accountable for her crimes. 

He glanced down at the paper now sitting face up on the coffee table, the headline screaming. "Maya Curasco sentenced to Twenty Five years in kidnapping scheme." Justice had been done, that part was over and now the true healing could begin for his partner and the families of the officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. 

The end.   
  


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